INTRODUCTION
Welcome all, to this new adventure. So, a few words before you read. This is a series of one-shot whose primary focus is to tell the moments in-between the stories of DW involving the Master as seen by the titular character. We'll see his regenerations (well, except the stealths of bodies in "The Keeper of Traken" and the 1996 movie, and the regeneration in "Utopia"), how he escaped other near-death situations, how he came up with the plans he put into motion.
This series comprises every incarnation of the character seen in Classic Who, New Who and Big Finish audios, in their 'biological' order of succession: James Dreyfus, Roger Delgado, Peter Pratt/Geoffrey Beevers, Anthony Ainley, Eric Roberts, Alex Macqueen, Derek Jacobi, John Simm, Michelle Gomez, Sacha Dhawan. Before every chapter, I will give you a quick recap of the audio/TV stories preceding the one-shot.
Well, I think that's enough. I leave you to the reading; I hope you enjoy it.
CHAPTER 1: AND SO IT BEGINS
The deposit is quiet, amidst the silence of the night. The dark shapes of the machines stand up as watchmen on guard, the grey metal reflecting the light of the few lamps in a thousand shades. Their buzz has the same noisy, feverish rhythm of a swarm of bees, a promise of life between the cold walls, a resting power waiting to be awoken. Only a few bruises here and there hints at their being damaged; otherwise, a secret jealously kept – one of many, on Gallifrey.
A shiver runs down my spine. I expected to find more security, even more in the light of what recently happened, but there is almost no one. Well, that settles it: I am officially the member of a race of idiots, and I shan't feel any sorrow when I'll leave them to their destiny.
The drumming in my head grows more potent, and I have to stop and breathe.
Not now, not now!
I can't ... I can't hear them now! I can't yield!
Come on, come on, inhale, exhale, slowly, regularly ... Lean in ... this way, yes ... I'd like to scream, but they would hear me; I shall be content to blow with all the strength of my lungs, while the beating of my two hearts comes back to normal.
Come now, keep it up!
It's the usual sound, the one I hear since they brought me before the Schism, that fills my dreams and continuously backdrops every thought of mine. I learned to live with it, even if, I fear, at the price of my mental health. Doesn't matter, I can bear this privation.
I always could.
Eventually, I manage to get my head up and see myself reflected on the surface of a TARDIS: the broad face, stout but not fat, with dark eyes, short hair and a thick beard. There is smartness behind those eyes, enthusiasm and will to leave, impatience and longing for what I am going to get: a whole life away from the clutches of a decadent, sick society, rotten to the core, always escaping from its true greatness. We could have been leaders, but instead chose to be mere watchers – but not me.
Not us.
My hearts painfully ache at the thought. I shouldn't be alone; we should all be here, to seize our destiny: Mortimus the meddler, Ushas the scientist, Drax the builder, and of course him, who left only weeks ago with that brat of his granddaughter.
No!
I forbid you these boyish feelings! I am a man, I am more than a man! I am a Time Lord, as nobody ever was and nobody ever will, and I won't allow you to ruin everything for some tears!
I start walking again. The hypnosis I distract the guards with will not last long now, even my powers have limits. I worked to get them better, but I am not omnipotent (not yet, at least).
"Halt! Stop where you are!"
And here they are, the dogs, now awake from their slumber, coming at me with their guns. But they won't have me. If only I could lock myself somewh ...
As luck would have it, I spot an open TARDIS in front of me, its doors gaping wide, probably because it's still in repair. I know I shouldn't do it (usually open doors means work in progress), but unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of time to think. I run inside, flung myself at the console, and hurriedly press the button to close the door, hoping it would work.
It does!
I chuckled in satisfaction as the massive squares of metal turn on their pivots until they merge, locking outside my assailers. Free from the need of hiding, I keep chuckling, allowing my beautiful voice to echo amongst the wall: a wonderfully dark tone, soon to resonate all around the universe, a signal of triumph for me and despair for my enemies.
But I can't exult yet; if this thing does not start, my journey will be over before it even starts. I regain my temper and watch more closely the console.
Scanner? It works. The screen shows me the soldiers surrounding the TARDIS. They try to open it, but forbidding them so was the first precaution I take; thus, they send for some device more powerful to open the doors.
Lights? Yeah, they work. At least I don't have to work in the dark.
Engines? They start, albeit with a not-so-healthy noise. If now dematerialization works, I am good to go.
Force fiel ...
Oh, NO!
The indexes for the force field ar at a minimum. I try increasing the power, but they stay low.
"DAMN IT!"
If I start with a force field so low, the TARDIS may fall apart in the Vortex and I with it. Damn it, damn it, damn it! I knew I shouldn't come in, I knew it! Now what?
My instinct for survival kicks in, and I ponder about the consequences of my action. I did nothing yet; if I come out now, I could bargain. It's always better than dying in the Vortex, split around time and space. But my pride roars inside me: if I come out and surrender, I won't have another chance. The Doctor will go freely through the cosmos as I stay here, another Time Lordling obeying the rules of his stiff-in-neck race! No, NEVER! NEVER!
A quick glance at the scanner and I make my choice. A Captain of the Guard is getting closer with a universal key. If I want to leave, I have to do it now, whatever it takes.
The drums go stronger, they roar like thunder in my head. I can hardly breathe, as I grab the lever for dematerialization and pull it desperately. Rassilon, please, make it work, make it ...
The column at the middle of the console thumps.
The engines scrape.
Am I delusional?
No. No. It's starting! IT'S STARTING!
Euphoria leaves room to terror when the walls begin to shake around me – as they should, with a force field in so bad a condition. But I still have a chance. If I have energy enough ... maybe ...
Yes, yes! I can keep intact the control room, make a sort of bubble and lock myself in! The rest will be lost in the Vortex, but I don't have time to worry about it.
I digit a random date, a random destination, and concentrate all that's left of the force field around the control room. Lights flicker, walls shake, the emergency lights turn on, and I ignore it all, focusing every single nerve of mine in keeping this junkyard together and getting away as fast as I can from Gallifrey.
Come on, come on!
COME ON!
I don't know how much time passes before a loud thump tells me I've landed somewhere. Exhausted as I am, I barely have the force to check the scanner and ensure I am no more on Gallifrey, before falling to the ground. I can't even cheer, also because I may be alive, but probably nothing of substance is left of my TARDIS. However, that may not be a problem; if I landed on a planet and in a time civilized enough ...
No, stop, don't let your imagination run wild. Get up and check.
I only need a glance at the console to know my fears were even too much real: the control room is basically all that's left of my TARDIS, everything else is lost in the Vortex, including those circuits which would allow me to move through space. However, those who control my movements through time are fine; so I am stranded in one place, but not in one time. It could be worse.
As for where I am ... it could be much better. The scanner shows me a planet inhabited, no doubt about that, but whose technological level is definitely low. I see shacks of straw and wood somewhere far off, with just a few buildings made of brick; the inhabitants are giant reptilians, with scales and claws. They walk on two legs, so they are undoubtedly intelligent, but they cannot give me the assistance I need.
I check the time scanners, and ... no, wait, First Segment of Time? The beginning of the universe? Oh, Rassilon, NO! In that Segment, there is no civilization developed enough just for building a spaceship, and surely not for restarting a TARDIS! And even if there was one, I am stuck on this planet, so I cannot reach it!
I am so angry I could scream, but I force myself to be calm. Ranting and despairing will do me no right, I need to think. I am stranded in space but not in time, so I could jump ahead in the history of this planet, reach a point where those reptilians are developed enough and ask for help. It's somewhat random, but ...
Something entering the atmosphere catches my eye.
Something, which is not a celestial body.
Something looking like a spaceship, but not, luckily, like a TARDIS.
I watch it land, a few miles from my TARDIS: it is a spaceship. I don't recognize the civilization, but it is still more advanced than the reptilian people I saw, at least enough to travel in space. The ship is big, massive, sufficient to contain a high number of people, too many for a simple scouting mission.
Maybe they are colonists.
Maybe they come here to stay.
And maybe ...
An idea starts growing in my mind as the first occupants of the ship come down on Earth. Their behaviour is all I need to confirm my guess: they are colonists, and they seemed humans from Earth, even though they obviously cannot be. They are confused, amazed, as they make sure that the atmosphere is breathable and wave at the others to come down.
The idea takes shape any minute and my mouth contracts into a satisfied smug.
I studied well enough Earth's history to know what happens when colonists arrive on a "virgin" land. They build homes, they occupy it, they change it to suit their needs, they fight with nails and teeth for their survival, and in doing so, their cleverness (already incredible by nature) gets more and more powerful. Ninety per cent of times, this means the death and the end of the indigenous people, because humans (and species like them) are amongst the most adaptable and dangerous species in the universe. In just a hundred years, they could go from a primitive level to an advanced society, and in one, two thousand ...
I laugh, a laugh of relief and joy. All tiredness has gone, and adrenaline pumps into my veins, filling my head with projects and ideas.
I will drive the development of this colony until they reach a technological level so advanced they can split the atom; from there, I could go on myself, until I can rebuild my TARDIS. And since I can go ahead in time, I will be able to ensure everything goes according to plan ... and of course, I could even pitch them against the reptilians. The ensuing war will make their ingenuity develop faster, and ...
Yes, yes, it's perfect! No time to lose, I'll go straight away to them to offer my services. They will be suspicious at the beginning, but convincing people is something I was always good at (one of the reasons I chose my name). I'll just have to be friendly, stay a little with them, even do them some favour, and they will believe every single word coming out of my mouth.
They will die for me.
They will follow my plans.
They will grow in my image.
Because I am the Master, and they will obey me.